THE CENTER
Dhamma Sela - Rocky Mountain Vipassana Center
"Rock of Dhamma" in Pali — a quiet and secluded sanctuary on the high plains of Colorado's Front Range.
About Dhamma Sela
The Rock of Dhamma
Dhamma Sela, also known as the Rocky Mountain Vipassana Center, means the "Rock of Dhamma" in Pali. It is one of the numerous centers worldwide dedicated to the teaching of Vipassana Meditation as taught by S.N. Goenka in the tradition of Sayagyi U Ba Khin.
Established in 2017, Dhamma Sela is situated in a secluded area on over 156 acres of quiet, beautiful land surrounded by Ponderosa Pines and abundant wildlife. It is located in a rural area of rolling hills and natural grasslands, near the Front Range town of Elbert, Colorado.
With its proximity to Denver International Airport, this meditation center serves people from the local Rocky Mountain region as well as the larger central Western area of the US, and beyond.
Location
Nearest Town
Elbert, Colorado
Region
Colorado Front Range — rolling hills and natural grasslands
From Denver
Approx. 60 miles southeast
From Co Springs
Approx. 35 miles northeast
Airport
Denver International Airport (DIA)
Land
156+ acres of secluded land with Ponderosa Pines and abundant wildlife
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Accommodations
House Accomodations
Students on the course will be offered a room within the main house with shared bathrooms. Rooms are dormitory style, simple and clean, providing a comfortable space for rest between meditation sessions.
Tent Accommodations
Tent accommodations are in canvas tents on elevated tent platforms. Each tent includes a bed platform and a mattress identical to those in the main house rooms. Students are also welcome to bring their own tent.
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Historical Background
Vipassana Meditation as taught by S.N. Goenka was introduced to Colorado by his students in 1982. From that time, yearly summer courses were held at a rented retreat center near Cedaredge, on the Western Slope, and continued until 2010. From 2006 to 2020, courses were conducted at a rented children's camp facility, next door to Dhamma Sela to the north.
In 2002, Goenkaji visited Colorado and encouraged RMVA to build a permanent meditation center near Denver. After more than fifteen years of active searching, the Property Search Committee and the RMVA Trust identified this quiet and secluded property on the high plains of the Colorado Front Range as a fitting location for the continued growth of Dhamma in Colorado.
1982
Vipassana Meditation as taught by S.N. Goenka introduced to Colorado. Yearly summer courses begin at a rented retreat center near Cedaredge, on the Western Slope.
2002
Goenkaji visits Colorado and encourages the Rocky Mountain Vipassana Association to build a permanent meditation center near Denver.
2006 – 2020
Courses conducted at a rented children's camp facility next door to the current Dhamma Sela property, to the north.
2010
Western Slope courses at Cedaredge conclude after nearly three decades.
2017
After more than fifteen years of active searching, the Property Search Committee and RMVA Trust identify and establish Dhamma Sela — 156 acres on the high plains of the Colorado Front Range near Elbert, Colorado.
THE LAND
Petrified Wood of the Land
Our center, Dhamma Sela, means the "Rock of Dhamma." Perhaps by coincidence, it is in the middle of a large area of petrified wood deposits. Present day erosion of the landscape and construction at our meditation campus site is revealing many new and beautiful specimens which are the result of 65 millions of years of change.
